A dad is facing an eye-watering £30,000 dental bill after a cyclist hit him in a pedestrian zone and smashed out his teeth - yet he can't claim a penny.
Tom Johnstone was at a stag do on July 4 and decided to leave his pals before they went to a Pitbull concert in Cardiff, as it 'wasn't really the crowd for him'.
The 30-year-old says he was walking through a pedestrian-only zone when 'out of nowhere' a cyclist doing a wheelie struck him. It's believed the cyclist's handlebar smashed into his face and teeth, causing the catastrophic damage.
As he lay on the ground with two teeth knocked out, the cyclist sped off leaving Tom nursing his bleeding mouth before nearby paramedics rushed over to help.
Hospital treatment and ongoing dental work
An ambulance took Tom to A&E where he had his two top teeth pushed back into his mouth and three bottom teeth pulled forwards. He has since had five teeth removed by a dentist while another was saved with root canal and veneers.
The dad-of-one says the police suspect the untraced cyclist was riding a push bike that isn't covered by the Motor Insurers' Bureau. The physiotherapist claims the NHS will only cover dentures that he's been advised against as they could cause infections.
His brother has set up a GoFundMe page to help raise funds for Tom's dental work, which could cost between £25,000 and £31,000. Now Tom hopes to spread awareness about what happened to him and warn others to 'be aware of their surroundings'.
Tom's account of the incident
Tom, from Langport, Somerset, said: "I'm so shocked it ended up like this. You're just constantly thinking 'wrong time, wrong place'. If it was five minutes later or if I'd been walking on the other side of the road none of this would've happened. It was careless cycling."
"I was on a stag do where all of my mates were going to the gig but it wasn't really the crowd for me. I went out for the day and then when they were going off to the concert I was going to go back to the hotel. I was just walking down the road and this bike [hit me] in the face, it came out of nowhere."
"I don't have a great recollection but we think with the damage done to my mouth he was wheelieing. I think his handle bar went into my mouth, which is why my mouth took [the] damage. I came around and asked if the cyclist was okay and was told he'd gone. From what I've been told he was only a young lad."
"I don't think it was a malicious 'let's get away' because he's only young. Apparently the lad was going really fast and wheelieing in and out of the crowd. I was on all fours [with] just blood pouring out of my mouth not really knowing what was going on. It was more shock."
Dental options and personal impact
Tom says the NHS will only fund dentures, something his dentist has advised against due to his age and the risk of infection. Instead he wants to get implants, which can only be done privately.
Tom said: "There's a bit of a stigma to dentures. I don't really want to be next to my fiancée with my teeth in a glass on the bedside table to be honest. They're associated more with old men. Appearance-wise my teeth are pretty well covered at the moment."
"At first I was very self-conscious about going out in public. I felt like all eyes were on me and it's only natural to judge and create a story in your head. I needed to be off work because of the sheer amount of pain I was in. Now it's more the mental health impact it's had because of being home all this time."
"Me and my best mates turned 30 this summer and for three years the four of us had been saving up money together to go on a 30th holiday. It was devastating to miss out on the trip."
Tom says the fundraiser is 'massively important' because he still needs to raise funds for teeth implants and a bone transplant. You can donate to Tom's GoFundMe page here, https://www.gofundme.com/f/for-toms-teeth.
Tom said: "It's just a bit of shame that because the bike wasn't electrically powered that was the difference of me being £30,000 out of pocket. The GoFundMe is massively important as it's not something I can afford. I'm 30 with a two-year-old kid and a mortgage so my dad is helping me out a lot. Whatever money we can raise is taking the burden off of my dad."
"To make me feel a bit better about missing the trip my dad, brother and brother-in-law took me to a city break in York at the start of the month just to get me out. I've never been so aware of cyclists before and I felt like hiding in the doorways of shops at times. I'm much more aware of it at the moment."
Police and MIB statements
A South Wales Police spokesperson said: "On July 5 2026 South Wales Police received a report of collision, involving a cyclist and a pedestrian, that had occurred the previous day near Cardiff Castle. The cyclist left the scene and despite enquiries, his identity remains unknown. We understand the injured pedestrian has undergone significant dental treatment for injuries sustained during the collision."
"We would appeal for the cyclist, witnesses, or anyone else with information to please contact South Wales Police by one of the following means quoting 2600212211. Contact us online via https://bit.ly/SWPProvideInfo or call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Always call 999 in an emergency."
A spokesperson for the Motor Insurers' Bureau said: "I can confirm that MIB only compensates victims of collisions involving motor vehicles, including uninsured or untraced vehicles. This can include certain illegal e-bikes and e-scooters where they are classed in law as motor vehicles. As such, collisions involving ordinary push bikes do not fall within MIB's remit. It is important to note that electrically assisted pedal cycles (EAPCs) that comply with UK regulations are also not classed as motor vehicles and are not subject to compulsory motor insurance requirements."
"From MIB's perspective, compliant EAPCs are treated in the same way as conventional pedal cycles. While some cyclists may choose to take out insurance, there is no legal requirement for them to do so. Where a collision involves a pedal cycle and the rider cannot be identified, any criminal investigation would be a matter for the police. For any updates on this case, you would need to contact the appropriate officer. We are unable to comment on the specific circumstances of this incident. However, our thoughts and best wishes are with Mr Johnstone and we wish him a full recovery."
NHS has been contacted for comment.
